LGBT Rights in Moldova

Homosexuality: ⚢
✔ Legal
Gay Marriage: ⚭
✖ Banned
Censorship: Varies by Region
Changing Gender: ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Gender-Affirming Care: ✔ Legal
Non-Binary Gender Recognition: ✖ Not legally recognized
Discrimination: ✔ Illegal
Employment Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Housing Discrimination: ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
Adoption: ✖ Single only
Intersex Infant Surgery: ✖ Not banned
Military: ✔ Legal
Donating Blood: ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
Conversion Therapy: ✖ Not banned
Age of Consent: ✔ Equal

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Public Opinion

Recent public opinion surveys in Moldova have pointed to a persistence of extremely homophobic attitudes, causing deep concern.

OPPOSE

SUPPORT

Show 5 More

Orthodox Christian Support for Church's Position of Refusing to Perform Same-Sex Marriage

(Pew Research Center, 2017)

77%

Support

15%

Oppose

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History

Homosexual activity in Moldova

Homosexual activity in Moldova is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 10, 1995

Legal

Homosexuality was decriminalised in Moldova in 1995 under Law No. 500.

Details

Mar 7, 1934–Jul 9, 1995

Male illegal, female legal federal law

An article under which sodomy was punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 8 years appeared in the Soviet Criminal Code on March 7, 1934 - number 154-a: “Sexual intercourse between a man and a man (sodomy) - imprisonment for a term of three to five years. Sodomy committed with the use of violence or taking advantage of the dependent position of the victim - imprisonment for a term of five to eight years."

Details

Dec 1917–Mar 6, 1934

Legal federal law

In 1917, after the October Revolution in Russia, homosexuality was decriminalised. This included Moldova at the time.

Details

Jan 1, 1835–Dec 1917

Male illegal, female uncertain federal law

The 1835 Russian Penal Code applied to Moldova and criminalised sodomy.

Details

Until Dec 31, 1834

Legal federal law

Until 1835, homosexuality was legal in Moldova.

Details

Same-sex marriage in Moldova

Same-sex marriage in Moldova is banned.

Current status

Since Aug 24, 1994

Banned

The Constitution of Moldova passed in 1994 explicitly defines a marriage as between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriage.

Details

Until Aug 23, 1994

Unrecognized

Until 1994, there was no law explicitly banning same-sex marriage in Moldova. However, there was also no legal recognition provided to same-sex couples.

Details

Censorship of LGBT issues in Moldova

Censorship of LGBT issues in Moldova is varies by region.

Current status

Since May 26, 2022

Varies by Region

In 2022, Gagauzia passed a motion prohibiting media from reporting on LGBTIQ+ topics. Chișinău would also ban “LGBT propaganda” in schools and at public events in 2025.

The rest of Moldova has no such laws however.

Details

Oct 14, 2013–May 26, 2022

No censorship

Since the repeal of its law against "gay propaganda" in 2013, there were no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics in Moldova, until Gagauzia's law in 2022.

Details

Jul 5, 2013–Oct 13, 2013

Fine as punishment

In 2013, Moldova secretly passed a law banning "propaganda of intimate relations outside of marriage and family" to minors with a fine as punishment. Although the law did not explicitly mention homosexuality, as gay marriage is not provided, it is de facto included in the law.

The law would be repealed months later.

Details

Feb 28, 2013–Jul 4, 2013

No censorship

On February 28th, 2013, the city of Balti overturned its law against "gay propaganda". Since then, there was no known censorship of LGBTIQ+ topics in Moldova until July of that year.

Details

Feb 23, 2012–Feb 27, 2013

Varies by Region

In 2012, the city of Balti passed a proclamation banning "gay propaganda" to minors, although there were no sanctions attached. It would be overturned the next year.

Details

Until Feb 22, 2012

No censorship

Until 2012, there were no known laws censoring LGBTIQ+ topics in Moldova.

Details

Right to change legal gender in Moldova

Right to change legal gender in Moldova is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.

Current status

Since Apr 26, 2001

Legal, but requires medical diagnosis

Transgender people are allowed to change their legal name and gender on official documents in Moldova, but require a psychiatric diagnosis confirming their "transgenderism" to do so.

Details

Until Apr 25, 2001

Illegal federal law

Until 2001, there was no legal gender recognition provided in Moldova.

Details

Gender-affirming care in Moldova

Gender-affirming care in Moldova is legal.

Current status

Legal

Gender affirming care is legal in Moldova but often difficult to access in practice.

However, in December 2023, a law was amended that effectively banned some hormones used by transgender men. Since then, the Ministry of Health has been planning a protocol for prescribing hormone therapy.

Details

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Moldova

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Moldova is not legally recognized.

Current status

Not legally recognized

There is no legal recognition provided for nonbinary or intersex people in Moldova.

Details

LGBT discrimination in Moldova

LGBT discrimination in Moldova is illegal.

Current status

Since Feb 9, 2023

Illegal

In 2023, The Parliament of Moldova passed Law No.2 (2023) which included sexual orientation and gender identity among grounds protected from "any kind of discrimination".

Details

Jan 1, 2013–Feb 9, 2023

Illegal in some contexts

In 2013, a law protecting people from discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation took effect in Moldova. However, until 2023, there were no other discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation nor were there any provided on the basis of gender identity.

Details

Until Dec 31, 2012

No protections

Until 2013, there were no protections from discrimination provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Moldova.

Details

LGBT employment discrimination in Moldova

LGBT employment discrimination in Moldova is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Feb 9, 2023

Sexual orientation and gender identity

In 2023, The Parliament of Moldova passed Law No.2 (2023) which included sexual orientation and gender identity among grounds protected from "any kind of discrimination". Protections in employment are included as well.

Details

Jan 1, 2013–Feb 9, 2023

Sexual orientation only

A law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment was adopted by the Moldovan Parliament on 25 May 2012, and signed into law by President Nicolae Timofti on 28 May 2012. The law took effect on 1 January 2013.

Details

Until Dec 31, 2012

No protections

Until 2013, there were no protections from discrimination in employment provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Moldova.

Details

LGBT housing discrimination in Moldova

LGBT housing discrimination in Moldova is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status

Since Feb 9, 2023

Sexual orientation and gender identity

In 2023, Moldova passed Law No. 2 which includes sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics from any kind of discrimination, including housing.

Details

Until Feb 8, 2023

No protections

Until 2023, there were no protections from discrimination in housing provided to LGBTIQ+ people in Moldova.

Details

Same-sex adoption in Moldova

Same-sex adoption in Moldova is single only.

Current status

Single only

Moldova only provides adoption to married couples and single parents. Unmarried couples may not adopt.

Details

Intersex infant surgery in Moldova

Intersex infant surgery in Moldova is not banned.

Current status

Not banned federal law

There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Moldova.

Details

Serving openly in military in Moldova

Serving openly in military in Moldova is legal.

Current status

Since Jul 10, 1995

Legal

There are no known laws restricting or banning LGBTIQ+ people from serving in the military in Moldova. However, soldiers can be subject to poor treatment regardless.

Details

Blood donations by MSMs in Moldova

Blood donations by MSMs in Moldova is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status

Since May 25, 1993

Banned (indefinite deferral)

The Moldovan legislation bans MSMs from donating blood due to high risk of transmitting STDs since 1993.

Details

Until May 24, 1993

Legal

Until 1993, there was no known ban or restriction on blood donations from men who have sex with men in Moldova.

Details

Conversion therapy in Moldova

Conversion therapy in Moldova is not banned.

Current status

Not banned

Conversion therapy is legal in Moldova but not widely practiced.

Details

Equal age of consent in Moldova

Equal age of consent in Moldova is equal.

Current status

Since Jun 12, 2003

Equal

In 2002, Moldova amended its criminal code to make the age of consent for both heterosexual and homosexual intercourse 16, equalising the age of consent. It took effect in 2003.

Details

Jul 10, 1995–Jun 11, 2003

Unequal

When Moldova decriminalised homosexuality in 1995, the age of consent was higher than for heterosexual relations until a reform passed in 2003.

Details

Mar 7, 1934–Jul 9, 1995

Female equal, male N/A federal law

Until 1995, male homosexuality was illegal in Moldova.

Details

Dec 1917–Mar 6, 1934

Equal federal law

In 1917, homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia, which included Moldova. There was no discrepancy with the age of consent compared to heterosexuality.

Details

Jan 1, 1835–Dec 1917

Female equal, male N/A federal law

In 1835, male homosexuality was criminalised in Moldova.

Details

Until Dec 31, 1834

Equal federal law

Until 1835, homosexuality was legal in Moldova and there was no discrepancy in its age of consent.

Details